she flew
away from the door and placed herself in the niche of the last window.

To reach her, the prince must cross the saloon; that would give her a
few moments to recover. The door opened and Prince Henry entered; his
glance flew quickly over the saloon, and found the one he sought.

Louise could have shrieked with agony when she saw the tender smile with
which he greeted her. Never had he appeared so handsome, so noble as at
this moment, when she must resign him forever.

But there was no time to think of this, no time for complaints or
regrets. He was there, he stood before her, offered both his hands, and
greeted her with the tenderest words of love.

Louise had a stern part to play, and she dared not listen to her heart's
pleadings.

"Ah, my prince," she said, with a laugh that sounded to herself like
the wail of a lost soul--"ah, my prince, take care! we women are very
credulous, and I might take your jesting words for truth."

"I advise you to do so," said the prince, happy and unconcerned. "Yes,
Louise, I advise you to do so, for you know well that my jesting words
have an earnest meaning. And now that we are alone, we will dispense
with ceremony. You must justify yourself before a lover--a lover who is
unfortunately very jealous. Yes, yes, Louise, that is my weakness; I do
not deny it, I am jealous--jealous of all those who keep you from me,
who prevent my receiving your letters."

"My letters!" said Louise, astonished; "why should I have written
letters to your highness? I do not believe it is the custom for ladies
to write to gentlemen voluntarily. It has been two weeks since I
received a letter from your highness."

"Because it was impossible for my messenger to deliver them, Louise: you
were so unapproachable, at least for me. But you must have known that my
thoughts were always with you, that my heart pined for news and comfort
from you."

"Non, vraiment, I did not know it," said Louise, laughingly.

"You did not know it?" asked Henry, wonderingly. "Well, what did you
suppose?"

"I thought," she said, carelessly--"I thought that Prince Henry had
overcome or forgotten his little folly of the carnival."

"And then?"

"Then I determined to follow his example. Then I preached a long sermon
to my foolish eyes--they were misty with tears. Listen, I said to them:
'You foolish things you have no reason to weep; you should always look
bright and dazzling, even if you never see Prince Henry again.